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HORSEMAN'S HAND BOOK, 

CONTAININCi, 

IN THIRTEEN LESSONS, 



LATEST AND BEST METHOD 



Breaking and Educating Colts 



BREAKING UP THE HABITS AND VICES 
OF BADLY SPOILED HORSES. 



OLEAN, N. y. 



YOUNG, I.OCKWOOD & Co's STEAM I'KKS.S, 

BUFFALO, N. Y. 



THE 



HORSEMAN'S HAND BOOK. 

CONTAIiNING, 

IN THIRTEEN LESSONS, 



LATEST AND BEST METHOD 



Breaking and Educating Colts 



ALSO, 

BREAKING UP THE HABITS AND VICES 
OF BADLY SPOILED HORSES. 



\\ ,'---.x, . 

GLEAN, N. Y. X %\- ^ 



~^m:/S()i8' 



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YOUNG, LOCKWOOD & CO S STEAM PRESS, 

BUFFALO, N. Y. 



srz87 

.r\4 



Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year eighteen 
•hundred and seventy-four, 

Bv A. P. MASON, 

In the office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. 



^ ' PREFACE. 



% 



Having been for the past twenty years 
practically engaged in the business and 
study of handling and educating wild and 
vicious horses, and being familiar with all 
other systems, and having originated many 
of the latest and most valuable improve- 
ments in the art, I have now a regulated 
system of my own, written in a plain com- 
prehensive manner, step by step, by which 
the most inexperienced need not fail in 
successfully handling and breaking colts, 
or horses of vicious habits. Knowing the 
need of such a work, and the advantages 
derived therefrom over all other systems, 
it is with pleasure that I now tender you 
this little work, entitled " The Horse- 
man's Hand Book," feeling confident that 
all who honor it by its perusal, may be 
benefitted thereby. 

Very Respectfully, 

A. P. MASON. 



LESSON FIRST. 

Get your colt into an enclosure from 
twenty to forty feet square, where there is 
no chance for him to escape or injure him- 
self. Then approach him with a long 
bow-topped whip in the right hand, with 
the left hand extended, saying "//c?, boy^'' 
until he turns to leave you, when you will 
give him a few sharp cuts about the hind 
legs, saying '"''Here sir! Come here.''' 
(stepping in his way as he runs around) 
and repeat, until from fear of the whip be- 
hind he will keep his head towards you, 
and will follow you around to the right or 
left at the word " couie along., bo\\'' and will 
allow his head and neck to be handled ; 
talking kindly the while, and keeping your- 
self in good humor at all times. Give a few- 
oats from the hand, and let him rest for half 
an hour, and repeat until he comes prompt- 
ly to you, and will allow the halter to be 
put on and taken off without fear. 



LESSON SECOND. 

Put on a five-ring halter; have a small, 
strong cord, about fifteen feet long; tie 
one end to the throat-piece of the halter, 
passing the other end through the mouth 
from the off side, and back on the near 
side over the throat piece. Then step to 
left about six feet, and opposite the shoul- 



der, and saying, ^' Come here sir T' give a 
sharp pull upon the cord, letting up quickly 
that he may not struggle or throw himself. 
Repeat until he \yill come promptly at the 
word, or the slightest pull. Caress at each 
and every motion to obey you, by patting 
and rubbing the head and neck, and talk- 
ing kindly to him. Then put the cord 
through the mouth the opposite way, and 
repeat on the other side. Then repeat on 
either side, leading by the halter stall, 
gradually pulling more in front, until he 
will lead straight ahead. Caress, (giving 
a few oats from the hand), and let him 
rest for half an hour, and then repeat. 



LESSON THIRD. 

Put on a halter, with cord as at first, take 
the cord in hand, stand in front, and say- 
ing ''''Hold up, sir !'' jerk down upon the 
cord until the head is thrown up; caress, 
and repeat until he will obey at the word. 
Then take the cord in the right hand close 
to the head, with whip in the left hand be- 
hind you, and saying '"'' Come along, boy f" 
start ahead, touching up with the whip 
from behind. Go twenty or thirty feet, 
when say " IVkoa .''' give a sharp jerk down 
upon the cord, repeating until he will start, 
walk promptly by your side, and stop at 
the word, (carrying his head well up the 
the while.) Then put the cord through 



the mouth the opposite way, and repeat on 
the other side. Take off halter, give :; 
few oats from the hand, and let him rest for 
half an hour and repeat. 



LESSON FOURTH. 

Put on a halter with cord as at first; 
work up the mouth a little, throwing the 
the head up, and saying " ]V/wa, boy T' 
put on a surcingle, (a leather strap one 
inch wide is sufficient,) then have a strap 
one inch wide and two feet long, made 
like a hame strap ; loop it around the left 
ankle, raise the foot and buckle the strap 
around the surcingle short enough to pre- 
vent his bruising the other leg with his 
foot. Then take a broom (carefully at 
first) and brush him all over until he ceases 
to fear it. Change foot strap to the other 
foot, and rub with newspapers, letting him 
put his nose to them, &c., talking kindly, 
and letting him know by word and action 
that he is not going to be hurt, and that 
you are his friend. Let him rest a few 
minutes, and then strap up the other foot, 
then card him all over and comb out his 
tail. Then change foot strap, and show 
him a blanket, letting him smell of it ; rub 
his head and neck with it; continuing all 
over him, and throw it on him, (lightly at 
first), and repeat until he will bear to have 
it thrown on to him carelessly, from any 



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direction, around his legs, &c. Rest^.a 
while, change the foot strap to the other 
foot, and repeat, using robe, bells, &c. 
Letting him move around on three legs 
with them on, until he has no fear of them. 
Rest, put up the other foot and repeat, 
using an umbrella; let him smell of it, 
rub him over with it, open it, turn it bot- 
tom side up, and let him eat oats out of 
it; carry it around and over him, occasion- 
ally letting him eat oats out of it until he 
has no fear of it. Then give a little rest, 
and put up the other foot and repeat with 
baby cart, wheelbarrow, &c., wheeling them 
around him, stopping in front of him, oc- 
casionally letting him eat oats out of them. 
Take off foot strap, let him rest, and repeat 
this lesson without foot strap. 



LESSON FIFTH. 

Put on a halter and lead him around a 
little ; put on surcingle, strap up left for- 
ward foot, put on harness; take off halter 
and put on a bridle with easy snaffle bit, 
check loosely, buckle in the lines, which 
should be flat lines ]/% of an inch wide and 
about 1 8 feet long, passing back through 
the thill tugs. Then put on short foot 
strap, with i^ inch ring attached on right 
foot ; then have a cord about sixteen feet 
long, and tie one end to the surcingle, 
passing the other end down through the 



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ring in foot strap, and back over the sur 
cingle. Have a common hame strap, looj: 
it around the center of the breeching bod^ 
and buckle a i^ inch ring into it, an( 
pass the cord through between the hind 
legs and through the ring, which keeps it 
from getting in under the foot. Now tie 
up your lines, take the cord in your hand, 
and let down the left foot, and start around, 
occasionally using the word ^^ whoa,'' and 
pulling up the foot. Repeat, starting and 
stopping until he will do it promptly at the 
word, driving around either way. Change 
the foot strap to the other foot, and repeat. 
Unharness and rest. 



LESSON SIXTH. 

Put on harness, omitting the foot strap, 
checking a little higher. Get behind, with 
lines passed through the thill tugs ; step 
to the left side of the colt, and pull on the 
right or off line, until he squares around ; 
then on the other side, and repeat until he 
squares around promptly either way. Then 
drive ahead about twenty feet, when sa} 
ing ^'' luhoa r give a raking pull upon the 
bit, and repeat. Starting (with whip, if a 
little dull) and stopping, until he will stop 
at the word, from a walk or trot. Then 
standing still, and holding the left line 
about one foot shorter than the other, urge 
him patiently, tapping liim lightly on the 



off side, until, finding that he cannot go 
ahead he will soon learn to walk sideways. 
Then caress him, from which he will un- 
derstand that he has done right. Repeat, 
until he will walk promptly either way. 
This requires great patience, but should be 
learned before hitching in shafts, that he 
will not wait for his head to be pulled 
around on his side, or the shaft to crowd 
him before turning around. Take off har- 
ness, rest and repeat. 



LESSON SEVENTH. 

Put on the harness, check a little higher ; 
put an inch strap around the neck, into 
which the lines buckled, passing the back 
ends through the bit rings from the inside, 
and back through the thill tugs. Drive 
around, repeating the starting and stopping 
a few times, then open the door of the 
barn and drive out. This being his first 
lesson out of doors he may try to leap 
out, but with the lines attached in this 
way he is easily held. Repeat the former 
lessons in starting and stopping, walking 
sideways, &c. Then repeating the words 
^^tvhoa, boy!'' switch the whip, (lightly at 
first,) and holding him — from which he 
will soon learn that the sound of the whip 
means nothing. This should be repeated 
often, and while in motion. Drive around 
in this way one hour, then unharness and 



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rest for half an hour. After resting put on 
the harness same as before, and having a 
blanket or robe spread across the road, 
drive around and over it, until he will walk 
over it fearlessly. Drive over bridges, 
through water, and all places where colts 
are liable to be afraid, for an hour, then 
unharness and rest. 

Prepare a piece of stove pipe, with a 
rope or strap eight feet long passed through 
it with the ends tied together to carry it 
by ; put on the harness as before, (check- 
ing a little higher), and drive around letting 
the pipe drag on the road, lightly at first, 
and more as he will bear it, until he will 
not be afraid of all the noise you can make 
with it. 'Jlien accustom him to hearing it 
in different places, and on the trot; using 
the word '"'' whoa T' occasionally, and forc- 
ing prompt obedience from both the walk 
and the trot, but never using that word 
unless you want him to stop ; and never let 
him go, until you tell him to. Learn him 
to stand still in all places. Drive one hour 
and rest. 

Now have prepared a hame collar, and : 
a pair of common low topped team hames 
with hame straps, then have two straj)-. 
one inch wide and two feet long, and . 
tach one end of each strap to each hame '| 
staple with \]^ inch rings in the other 
ends, which are to pass through the thill 
tugs, into which the side straps are buck- 
eled — which prevents the collar from bein j, 



II 



pushed over the head when backing. Then 

take two straight, smooth hickory poles, 

about i}( inches in diameter at small ends, 

and as near of a bigness the whole length 

as you can find them, and about ten feet 

long ; lay them side by side, and put a saw 

horse (or the like) under each end, to get 

the bellies down. Then bore a ^ inch 

ij hole straight through each pole, fifteen 

!i! inches from the large ends ; then prepare a 

'! crossbar of good timber, i^ by 3 inches 

I and five feet long, bore a -)^ inch hole two 

j inches from each end, and one in the mid- 

I die ; round the ends, and bolt it on to the 

^ poles with half inch bolts, with wide wash- 

j ers above and below, putting nuts on top. 

\ Now attach a strong i}{ inch breast snaj) 

securely to the small end of each pole at 

an angle to be easy to snap into the breast 

rings on the hames, then round up the back 

ends of the poles, that they may not stick 

into the ground when backing. Then 

loosen the bolts, so that one may be raised 

high enough to snap into the hame ring 

without raising the other one. Then take 

two basswood boards, six feet long, fifteen 

inches wide, and ^ of an inch thick, lay 

them side by side, and put a sit cleat 

across each end with wrought nails ; then 

bore a ^ inch hole through the center of 

one cleat, and bolt it into the crossbar, 

cleat side up, with a ^ inch bolt, nut on 

top, with washers top and bottom, and a 

thick one between crossbar and board. 



12 



And for a seat take a basswood board, one 
foot wide and five feet long, put a cleat 
across one end with wrought nails ; bore a 
half inch hole two inches from each corner 
of the end having the cleat on, then lay 
this just back of the forward cleat on the 
wide board, and in the middle of it, and 
mark and bore the wide board to match 
the holes in the seat; then bolt on loosely 
with ^ inch bolts and washers, with nuts 
on top. Then take a plank i^- inches thick, 
one foot wide and two feet long ; then raise 
the seat and set the plank up edgewise in 
under it, and work it forward far enough 
to bring the seat to its proper height, and 
nail it from top and bottom ; then tighten 
the bolts in it, and round off the corners 
of the plank, and round up the back end 
of the wide board, when you are ready for 



LESSON EIGHTH. 

Put on the harness, with the collar and 
hames which you have prepared, with 
breeching straps buckled into the rings 
spoken of, and have the lines adjusted as 
before, except to pass them through the 
line rings i?i the hames, instead of through 
the thill tugs. Put on foot straps with a 
cord, as before. Drive around between 
the poles; pull up the foot; take a hitch 
in the cord to hold it; hitch on the poles 
and let him go five or six rods on three legs. 



13 

Then let foot the down, keeping the cord 
in hand ; drive around, turning to right and 
left until he gets used to the poles against 
his sides and legs, and the rattle of them 
behind him without fear. After driving an 
hour, unharness and rest one hour. 

Then harness up again, omitting foot 
strap, (if he is not too wild,), and drive 
around, bearing down on the seat as he 
will bear and learns to pull, stopping oc- 
casionally, and going to him, pat and talk 
kindly to him, on either side ; work pa- 
tiently, until he will draw you when going 
along, and, by degrees, he will learn to 
start the board with you on it. Repeat a 
few times, and drive into the barn, unhar- 
ness, and rest an hour. 

Then hitch up in the barn, and drive 
out bearing on the board; drive back, turn 
around, get on, and let him draw you out 
a few times, until he will draw you straight 
out of the barn without sheering to the 
right or left, when he is ready to hitch to 
wagon. Unharness and rest. 



LESSON NINTH. 

Put on the harness, with breast collar 
and traces, harnessing otherwise as before, 
with lines passed through the pad terrets ; 
put on foot strap, with cord; lead around 
in front of wagon, (which should be a light 
lone,) pull up the foot, take a hitch in the 



^4 

cord to hold it up ; then pull up the wagon, 
shake the thills about him ; drop them on 
floor a few times ; pull the crossbar against 
him, lightly at first, and by degrees with 
force. Then hitch on ; shake the wagon 
and harness ; getting in and out a few 
times, with lines in hand, talking to him 
the while. Then let down his foot, kee}'- 
ing cord in hand ; then get in, put the cord 
over the seat, straddle it, and sit on it, 
having it handy if needed; drive around, 
turning right and left, bringing the wheel 
against the rub iron on either side, until 
he has no fear of it. Then repeat the 
lessons of starting and stopping prompt] 
from the w^alk, then from the trot; getting 
him used to the breeching being forced 
against him. Drive in this way about an 
hour ; then drive in, unharness, and give an 
hour rest, giving good care and a few oats. 
Then repeat, (if he has behaved well ), 
omitting foot strap. Now you can dri\ c 
him from two to three miles and back, twi( r 
a day for a few days, when it will answer ■ 
drive double the distance. 



LESSON TENTH. 

I'O LEARN YOUR COLT TO STAND Til. i 
HITCHED TO WAGON. 

First hitch into the poles ; have a strong 
strap (made for the purpose) to buckk 
around the neck, with a ^ inch rope at- 
tached; buckle around the neck and pas 



I 



15 

the rope through the bit ring and tie to a 
strong post or tree. Then pass by him 
'with an umbrella in different positions, 
'and from different directions, until he does 
l-'not fear it. Repeat with baby cart, wheel- 
^barrow, &c. Repeat when hitched in dif- 
^ferent places, when it will be safe when 
^'hitched to wagon. Use this arrangement 
to tie with at all times. 



LESSON ELEVENTH. 

TO LEARN YOUR COLT TO RIDE. 

Put on riding bridle ; shut the door ; 
j^|take him by the bit with left hand ; spring 
ijback and grab the tail with right hand, 
ijand whirl him lively five or six times 
laround; then, taking the reins firmly in 
[left hand, jump on, being dizzy he will not 
I 'notice it. Rub your legs against him ; pat 
I him all around as far as you can reach, talk- 
1 ing kindly the while. Get off, and repeat 
I until you can mount him carelessly as you 
I please, and can ride him around in the 
jbarn. Then repeat out of doors, when 
jjyou can ride him where you please. 



I LESSON TWELFTH. 

rO LEARN YOUR COLT TO DRIVE DOUBLE. 

First hitch by the side of a gentle horse 
(checking as before,) putting on the off 
side; put on a neck yoke, and drive around 



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a little. Then, if you have no assistant, 
put on foot strap with cord on left foot, ; 
passing the cord back on near side, and, 
if he seems wild, bring the cord over the i 
back. Raise the foot and tie the cord into i 
the off hame ring, holding the foot up until-: 
you get all hitched on. Then take lines < 
on the off side, untie the cord from thei 
hame, letting the foot down ; get in, pass-- 
ing the cord over the seat, and sitting on i 
it; drive around, repeating the lessons of' 
starting, stopping, turning around, back- 
ing, &c. Then repeat with the colt on the ; 
near side. Then omit foot strap, and drives 
from three to six miles and back daily, fori 
a few days, driving up and down hill, over 
bridges, &c., when, if all has went well, he 
may be considered well trained to ride and 
drive. 



LESSON THIRTEENTH. 

WHICH MAY PRECEDE THE LATTER HALF 
OF LESSON NINTH. 

A short lesson preparatory to shoeing, 
and we are done with the colt. 

Hitch by the halter on the barn floor; 
have a small piece of wood about four 
inches long, with a notch cut around the 
center, into which tie the cord fifteen inches 
from the end; now pass the short end of 
the cord through the near halter ring,, 
(the piece of wood being against the ring.)' 



17 

Then raise the upper lip and pass the cord 
•snugly in under it, and tie to the off halter 
ring. Now proceed to handle his feet, as 
in shoeing, and when he attempts to free 
his feet do not struggle with him, but let 
go, and give a litle jerk upon the cord, say- 
ing ^^7vhoa, sir f' and repeat until he will 
be quiet, and let you handle his feet as 
you please. 



TO HANDLE A KICKER OR 
RUNAWAY. 

Use Mason's Patent Bridle Bit, which 
patent covers any thing in under the upper 

\ltp, by which to check or drive. This bit 
is so constructed that nothing is discover- 
able when on the horse from the ordinary 

I bit in use. 



DIRECTIONS FOR USING MASON'S 
PATENT BRIDLE BIT. 

Buckle into the bridle the same as any 
bit, and, when adjusting the bit in the 
mouth the loop thereon is passed up over 
the upper teeth and under the upper lip, 
(the bridle being buckled sufficiently tight 
to hold it there.) Check reasonably short, 
have a standing martingale around the 
nose to keep him from throwing his nose 
too high. Then drive around occasion- 
ally using the word ''whoa!'' and forcing 



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obedience with the bit. Learn him to walk ' 
sideways as heretofore explained, punish- 1 
ing with both whip and rein at any attempt j 
to kick. This first lesson is driving with \ 
the lines running loose to the bit on eitlier i 
side without being hitched to wagon. Af- 
ter a little driving in this way, uncheck and 
rest a few minutes, then put up the check I 
and hitch to wagon and all will be well. I 



FOR KICKING WHILE GROOMINC. \ 

Vse cord same as in Lesson Thirteen — ! 
punishing with cord at each attempt t( i 
kick. You will not have occasion to repeal ' 
it many times. | 






FOR BITING. 

Use the same treatment. If a stallion 
avoid punishing, by putting the chin strai:f 
stationary in the left ring of the halterf 
with the buckle close to the ring; therj 
punch holes enough in the other end so 
that it may be taken up so short that htj 
cannot open his mouth while grooming oi 
shoeing. If he has both habits use botn 
remedies. ; 



19 

rO LEARN A HORSE TO STAND 
WITHOUT HITCHING. 

Have a short foot strap with ring at- 
tached on each ankle ; tie the cord into a 
ring on right footstrap, and pass the other 
; end over the surcingle and down through 
j| ring in the left footstrap, and back over 
j the surcingle ; then between hind legs and 
' through a ring attached to breeching body; 
1 just back of this ring tie a knot or key in 
; the cord, (giving him enough to travel 
I freely, but to prevent the rest of it from 
! sliding through and getting tangled in his 
I feet and legs.) Then prepare a weight, 
similar to heavy log chain folded up into 
I a bundle about three feet long, and a strap 
I buckled around it, made heavy enough so 
I that he could not drag it without pulling 
I his feet up. Then place yourself on smooth 
I ground in the yard or field, and attach the 
back end of the cord to the weight, ste}) 
back and wait for him to start. Let him 
try it, if he gets on to his knees or down, 
loosen the cord for him, by moving the 
weight towards him, letting him up ; and 
repeat until you can go from him in any 
direction and he dare not move. Then 
lead or ride another horse around him. 
Let him try it on in different places. When 
he. gets it learned, repeat when hitched in 
the poles, and from that to the wagon, and 
in a few days he will stand without the 
foot straps. 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



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002 863 239 3 




